(December 3, 2008) – John Tarrell Hopkins took the witness stand on Wednesday afternoon in Gatesville and testified that his girlfriend arranged for him to murder her ex-husband.

Hopkins testified that Megan Lewis Grant, 43, who’s on trial for capital murder in 52nd District sometimes talked about how she wanted someone to kill her ex-husband.

Under direct examination Wednesday, Hopkins said, “Yes, sir I did,” when asked if he stabbed James Michael Grant to death in the early hours of September 15, 2007 as Grant slept in his own bed.

Hopkins explained how he got the machete he killed Grant with and how Grant’s then 15-year-old son called him when Grant fell asleep.

It was James Michael Grant II who let Hopkins into the house to commit the murder.

Hopkins sat in the witness box behind a charcoal-cooking grill – the one Lewis Grant used to burn Hopkins’ bloody clothes, as he testified.

The state is not seeking the death penalty so if convicted, Lewis Grant will spend the rest of her life in a Texas prison without the possibility of parole.

Lewis Grant is charged with arranging the Sept. 15, 2007 stabbing death of her ex-husband, James Michael Grant.

Hopkins pleaded guilty to capital murder for his part in the crime about two weeks ago and was sentenced to life behind bars without the possibility of parole.

He was taken to the Gatesville courtroom from Kaufman County where he was being held awaiting transfer to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice intake facility in Huntsville.

Earlier testimony established Grant was stabbed to death inside his home, near Gatesville, and his body was loaded into a pickup truck and taken to the spot where it was later found by sheriff’s deputies.

Waco attorney Russ Hunt, Sr., is representing Lewis Grant. Coryell County District Attorney David Castillo is representing the state.

Hunt said he expects Castillo to complete testimony and rest the state’s testimony late Wednesday.

“I anticipate calling no more than one, two or three witnesses, depending upon what happens here today,” Hunt told News 10.

“I expect we’ll both have rested and have final arguments tomorrow (Thursday),” Hunt said.

Transcribed Testimony

Did you murder James Michael Grant?
Yes, sir I did.

Do you have a criminal history?
I have a long criminal history from about the age of 12

Hopkins said he did time in Pennsylvania and New Jersey for burglary, theft, criminal mischief and corruption of a minor.

How did you get to Gatesville?
That very day I took a flight from Pennsylvania to Dallas-Ft. Worth and that’s when my mom picked me up at the airport and took me to Gatesville.

How did you meet Megan Lewis Grant?
I was introduced to her from my sister and her son James Michael Grant, II in early summer of 2007.

You denied any connection to the murder in your first statement, didn’t you?
Yes. In my first statement I denied any involvement for fear of going to jail and I thought I might get away with it.

What kind of relationship did you have with Megan Lewis Grant?
An intimate relationship.

When did it start?
About three weeks after we met.

Did she ever talk about having her ex-husband killed?
Yes. When we would drink she would talk about that she wanted somebody to kill her ex husband.

When did you start considering killing James Michael Grant yourself?
I started to consider killing Michael Grant about a month afterwards.

What made you decide to kill Michael that night?
I recall a phone call between Megan and Michael at about 11 a.m. and I was already drinking a little bit and he made her cry.
I didn’t want her to cry over that anymore.
I decided I’d had enough of him putting her through pain. I decided to take away her problem by killing her ex husband.

Did you talk to Jamie Grant about killing his father?
I asked him what he and his mother would think if I did it and he said that I would be considered a king.

What was your plan?
I didn’t have a plan.
I went to Wal-Mart and I stole a machete, drove around a little bit, went to the beer store, drove around a little bit and went to a church on Greenbriar Rd. and waited for Jamie to call.

Why didn’t you use a gun?
A gun would have been too loud, too messy and the gun shot residue is traceable.

Where was Jamie?
He didn’t want to go into his room. He sat there and watched me do it. I walked around to the left side of the bed, put my left hand on him (Michael) and started stabbing him.

[CentralTexasVotes.com: Candidates, Campaigns And More ]
[More Local And State News]
[More National News]
[More Business News]
[Latest Religion News]
[Latest Health News]
[Latest Entertainment News]
[OffBeat News]
[News From Our Town]
[Latest Soldier Stories]
[Sports]
[Weather]
[Blogs]





Save some money! Save a tree! Get your morning news delivered directly to your email